Happy Nowruz, The Iranian New Year

It’s hard to believe that one year passed, and I am writing about Nowruz and New Year again. But that’s life, and life is really short. This year, let’s write about the ancient Iranian legends that can be useful for today’s world. As scholars say, Nowruz is the most ancient New Year celebration in the world, and it’s attributed to Jamshid. Since the first Nowruz in Jamshid era, in more than 15,000 years ago, billions of people have died, but we just know the story of the savage tyrants and the people who fought against them. The ancient Iranian legends tell us that Jamshid was so popular, and the people were happy in his era, and by aid of the people he raised mighty works, and the first Persepolis was built by him, known as Tukht-e-Jamshid (Throne of Jamshid). Jamshid also prepared a feast for the new year and called it Nowruz. But other parts of Jamshid’s story is more interesting. The Iranian myths add: “After 1000 years, when Jamshid’s power increased, he forgot the source of his power, and became a dictator. He named himself God. The wise men could not accept it, and God withdrew his hand from Jamshid, and the nobles rose up against him, and removed their warriors from his court, and Ahriman (the Evil) had power over the land. Ahriman (the Evil) visited the deserts of Arabia and tempted Zahak, who was an ambitious young man. Ahriman kissed him on his shoulders, and from his kiss two big snakes grow, but as often as the snakes were cut down they grow again. These snakes only ate a special food: the brains of men. When Persians heard about the powerful Zahak, the nobles, who had withdrawn from Jamshid, turned to Zahak, and the armies of Persia and Zahak marched against Jamshid, and he fled before their face. So the beloved of Ahriman, Zahak the Serpent, sat upon the throne of Iran, the kingdom of Light”. It’s really like the story of the recent decades, isn’t it ? In the recent years, many people think about the story of Jamshid and Zahak, and also about the story of Zahak and Kaveh.

The ancient motto of Iranians is: “Good Thoughts, Good words, Good Deeds”, and it can show you how the ancient Iranians thought and lived. The ancient Iranian legends say: “Zahak, that was a brutal dictator, continued to pile evil upon evil till the measure thereof was full to overflowing, and all the land cried out against him. But Zahak and his councilors, the Deevs (devils/ monsters), shut ear unto this cry. Zahak reigned about thousand years, and vice stalked in daylight, but virtue was hidden. Despair filled all hearts, for it was as though mankind must perish to still sprung from Evil, for daily were two men slaughtered to satisfy Zahak’s snakes. Zahak had no mercy upon any man. Darkness was spread over the land because of his wickedness. But one day, Zahak demanded of his people that they should certify that he had ever been to them a just and noble king. And many obeyed for very fear. But an ordinary man stood before the assembly of the nobles and said: ‘I am Kaweh, a blacksmith and I sue for justice”. Kaweh asked Zahak to release his son. Zahak granted him the life of his son, but ask him that he should sign the testimony that Zahak was a just and noble king“. But Kaweh, that was not like Khatami and other Iranian baboons, cried, ‘No, you wicked and ignoble man, ally of Deevs (monsters), I will not lend my hand unto this lie,’ and he seized the declaration and tore it. “Then Kaweh went to the market-place and related to the people all that which he had seen, and recalled to them the evil deeds of Zahak and the wrongs they had suffered at his hands. And he provoked them to shake off the yoke of Ahriman”, the Iranian legends add. The ancient story of “Zahak and Kaveh” is very important and informative, and we would write more about it later. But now I should say that in these days, when “Haji Firuz”, Nowruz’s herald with black-painted face and a red garb on, declares that Nowruz is in the air, many people think about today’s Zahak and the need for new Kaveh. Today’s Iran has many Kaveh.

The famous Iranian scholars have written about Nowruz and the Iranian legends that belong to the mythical ages. For instance, Abu Rayhan Biruni of the 10th century CE, says that Nowruz marks the first day when the universe started its motion. Biruni writes: “Aryans believed that Norouz is the first day of Time when the heavens began to revolve. In Nowruz-nameh, Omar Khayam writes: “When the Creator ordered permanence to end for the whole creation to enjoy solar radiation and benefits, the sun left the zero point of Aries, the heaven began to turn it, and light and darkness were separated, giving rise to day and night. This was the beginning of history of this world. Then after one thousand four hundred and sixty one years the sun reached Aries exactly on the same day and time … When this date was discovered, in order to venerate the sun, the Iranians, knowing that not everyone could discern that day marked it as the day of feast and proclaimed it to the world at large to keep in mind and celebrate”. In fact, Nowruz is as old as the oldest Iranian myths. Nowruz is older than the legend of “Zahak and Kaveh”!, but Nowruz reminds many of “Kaveh” and his characteristics. “Kaveh Ahangar” (Kaveh, the blacksmith) was an ordinary man, who had only one special characteristic: “Kaveh was not Khayemal (ass-kisser)”. In fact, Kaveh was not like Khatami, the Ashura traitors and other Iranian baboons who kissed Zahak’s ass or signed Zahak’s testimony. The bad guys try to disappoint the people, but many know that today’s Iran has many Kaveh. In these days, the people care about Nowruz and its traditions, but they are not deeply happy. They want to get rid of today’s Zahak. They think about the story of “Kaveh and Zahak”, and Nowruz and its legends remind Iranians of the ancient problems and the ancient solutions.

“Sabzeh” (sprouts) is the main symbol of Nowruz, and growing “Sabzeh” (sprouts) is as old as Nowruz. In these days, some ask about the roots of “Haft Sinn” (Nowruz table/ spread) and other Nowruz traditions. Many scholars believe that the root of “Haft Sinn” is the Iranian tradition of Sofreh (that literally means spread) that we have already written about it. The Iranian experts say: “In our culture we had, and still have, a lot of Sofreh (spread). The Sofreh for the occasion of Nowruz was known as ‘Sofreh Nowruz’ (the Noruz spread). It later gained the name of Haft Sinn”. Some ask about “fish” and the history of fish in Iran. The experts say: “Fish was sacred in Persian culture. Fish is the symbol of Nahid, the Persian deity of water. Nahid has many symbols, of which fish and pomegranate are the most recurrent. Even traditional Persian bowls have the image of fish painted or carved on them and this image can be found in our ancient and native handicrafts. In Iran, almost all the lakes and the Qanats (a water management system developed by Iranians) were full of fish”. As we said before, Nowruz is celebrated in all countries that were part of Persia before the 19th century, when the UK and Russia attacked Persia and occupied parts of it. In fact, Nowruz is celebrated in Greater Persia, i.e. Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kashmir, and many parts of Pakistan. Nowruz is also celebrated by Kurds in Iraq, Turkey, and Syria. Unfortunately, in the recent days Turkey banned Kurds from celebrating Nowruz in the public places. They even killed some Kurds. It’s so shameful. Apparently, the Turkish politicians still are as stupid as the Ottoman Turks, who were the enemy of Iran and the Iranian traditions. Kurds in Iraq, Turkey, and Syria are Iranians who just want to be free to enjoy their own culture and their own traditions. In Iran, flowers and plants are symbols of Nowruz and new year, but apparently many idiots and bad people are like the Mullahs, and don’t want to see that the ordinary people are happy and care about the beauty and Nowruz.

The politicians in almost all countries are stupid bastards. But some of them are savage bastards who kill the people, only because the people want to have their own traditions and their own life styles. The stupid bastards in Turkey only prove that they still are as uncultured as Ottoman Turks, and their gesture of democracy is bullshit. Unfortunately, many ordinary people in Turkey are ignorant or Islamists, and that’s why many believe that Turkey is less developed than Iran. In fact, only in the past 100 years Turkey was a little more developed than Iran. The Mullahs and what they did to Iran in the past 33 years is a good example of an old Iranian sayings: “the enemy can be the good fortune, if god wills”. Now, Iranians hate all Islamists and just care about the global matters, and also the beauty of their own ancient culture that is the root of the Western culture. Now, the people are not as happy as the past years, but they know their main problems. After 2009 coup, many things changed in Iran. In these days, you can see that Nowruz shopping and Nowruz atmosphere are not like the past. This year, like the past two years, in Tehran Bazaar, Tajrish street market, and almost all malls and shopping centers you can see that the number of the people is very smaller than the past, and there is a big difference between the present and the past: “The vast majority of people don’t laugh now “. What you can see in their eyes is sorrow, anger, wait, pain, a little hope, etc, but not joy and happiness. When you compare this year with, for example, 2007 or even 2008, you can see the big difference better. The people still care about Nowruz a lot, but they don’t laugh in the public places. They are angry at the traitors and mercenaries who help today’s Zahak. They hate those who work for Zahak and other evil forces. In these days, a bunch of worthless mercenaries and stupid baboons like Nikahang Kosar and Davood Rashidi showed their true colors, and again proved that the main problem of today’s Iran is not the people, but it’s the Iranian baboons and Ashura traitors, who should be called “Political Prostitutes”. The people hate some one like Nikahang Kosar or Davood Rashidi, and we would write more about them later.

All Iranians buy one special snack for Nowruz: Ajil. Unfortunately, the price of Ajil has gone up so badly, but the people can’t ignore Ajil, and Nowruz without Ajil is meaningless for Iranians. Ajil is an assortment of nuts (pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, etc), roasted chickpeas and seeds such as pumpkin, and other dried fruits such as apricots and figs. The roasted nuts and seeds may simply be salted, and it’s very tasty. During Nowruz holidays, and in Nowruz visitations, the people eat Ajil, fresh fruit, sweets, tea, sherbet, etc. I recommend you all to test Ajil. It can be an international snack. Anyway, this year, Saal Tahvil (literally means “delivering the year”) that is the precise moment when the New Year occurs, is Tuesday March 20, 2012, 08:44:27 AM. Some ask why March 20? This year (2012) is a leap year and February had 29 days (instead of 28 days), so March 20, not March 21, is the day of the Persian New year. (This new year in Iran [1391] is a leap year, too [Esfand has 30 days]; so the next year will started at March 21). In the last moments of this year, I hope the people and the army of new Kavehs can organize themselves, and can send the worthless mercenaries, who kiss Zahak’s ass, to hell. Iranians and other nations should not be disappointed, because even Zahak and the Deevs (monsters) were sent to hell by the Kaveh’s army. Today, Iran is full of young Kaveh. The army of new Kavehs in Iran will send Zahak and all Deevs -i.e. the Mullahs, the Monarchists, and their Western supporters- to hell in the near future. Zahak and the Deevs have tried to disgraced Iran, but the world should know that Joy is the essence of Iranian culture, and this is why Iranians have so many occasions for joy, and so many festivals in Persian culture. Iran has been, in fact, the land of festivals, since the ancient time. The army of new Kavehs in Iran will send Zahak and all Deevs to hell in the near future, and the world can see the real image of Great Persia again.

Happy Nowruz, Happy New Year.

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This entry was posted on Monday, March 19th, 2012 at 7:40 pm and is filed under Persian History and Culture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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